The inspiration of my invention was caused by what I felt was a lack of adequate theft protection for trailers available on the market. As a security specialist, I was confronted with finding a suitable means of protecting tool and utility trailers which I use in my trade as a locksmith and safesmith. I was frustrated to find that everything on the market was either overpriced and bulky, or simply not rugged enough for my intended use. This predicament is what spawned my decision to create my own trailer wheel rim locks.
After much experimentation I determined that unlike the hollow tubing and flat stock used in most all other trailer wheel rim locks, 1xc2xc inch diameter solid hardened steel round stock was the material to use.
I also determined through experimentation that solid hardened steel jaws (1xc2xcxe2x80x3 thick round solid steel) had a far better resistance to physical attack than the hollow steel, flat stock, composite, or aluminum counter parts.
I also determined that solid hardened steel jaws (1xc2xcxe2x80x2 thick round solid steel) held in place on the trailer wheel rim better than the hollow steel, flat stock, composite, or aluminum counterparts when someone actually tried to drive the trailer away with the trailer wheel rim lock in place.
I also experimented with different ways and means of locking the hardened steel jaws together. I determined that the simplest way of accomplishing this was to use heavy duty hardened chain.
I determined that when fixed to one jaw and wrapped around the other jaw, (please see sheet 5/5, FIGS. 16 and 17) the chain then could be doubled back and padlocked to itself, forming a secure means of keeping the hardened jaws held together and therefore, locked tightly to the trailer wheel rim. This locking procedure is very quick and easy to do. And requiring no tools, special or otherwise.
Also by using a padlock as a means of locking, the trailer wheel rim lock design can accommodate many different possible keying situations, since most any brand of padlock could be used.
Another draw back I determined to many of the existing trailer wheel rim locks, was their inability to adjust and fit securely on many different types and sizes of trailer, and non-trailer uses such as motorcycle, and automotive wheels. Whereas, my trailer wheel rim lock design will accommodate many different types and sizes of wheels and rims, and also many other non-trailer uses such as holding security gates together and locking construction equipment together. Examples being: the locking of handles of mixers and generators to larger equipment such as bulldozers and back hoes.
Also with my trailer wheel rim lock design I determined that when you lock my trailer wheel rim lock onto a wheel rim and for some reason it doesn""t fit tightly, all you have to do is to remove the padlock and xe2x80x98twistxe2x80x99 the chain until the jaws are tightly held to the trailer wheel rim and then snap the padlock back in place. The pad lock will keep the chain from untwisting and therefore won""t allow the wheel rum lock to be manipulated and removed by force.
To summarize; I feel that my trailer wheel rim lock design is unique in the sense that it solves the problem of finding a trailer wheel rim lock that is made of solid hardened round 1xc2xcxe2x80x3 dia. steel, which is rugged, yet simple to use. It is also versatile. Not limiting itself to just locking trailer wheel rims, but can be used for locking many other large items together. My trailer wheel rim lock design also allows for most any keying combination to be used because of the trailer wheel rim locks ability to accommodate the use of many types of padlocks. High security and standard.
Also by using chain as the closer device, in my trailer wheel rim lock design, it can be xe2x80x98twistedxe2x80x99 making the trailer wheel rim lock fit very securely to the wheel, and not allowed to be manipulated like other trailer wheel rim locks on the market.